At the end of August, Kaspersky experts discovered a phishing campaign with an unusual attack vector – through an image. This scam targeted organisations in the fields of online retail, distribution, transportation, and logistics. The cyber attackers aimed to steal corporate email credentials from potential victims.

Within the phishing scheme, the cyber attackers send emails in English, allegedly on behalf of a South Korean company. Pretending to be employees of this organisation, the cybercriminals email about sending instructions to their bank for transferring a payment.

They ask potential victims to check the details in the scanned document, which is added to the body of the letter. According to the legend, this must be done quickly in order to receive payment as soon as possible.

“The image in these phishing emails is poorly visible – this is what the attackers are counting on. Even if a person does not expect an email, he may be interested in looking at the details. However, in reality, the image hides a phishing link.

If the users click on the scan, they will be redirected to a fake resource that mimics a file sharing service from Adobe. There, they will be asked to enter the credentials for a corporate email account to gain access to the document.

However, this should never be done, otherwise this information will go to the cybercriminals,” comments Roman Dedenok, a cybersecurity expert at Kaspersky.

To avoid becoming a victim of such phishing attacks, Kaspersky recommends that users do not trust emails from unknown mailboxes, especially when it comes to confidential data, financial transactions and suspicious attachments, even if it visually looks like the email came from an organisation with a good reputation.

Kaspersky also recommends that companies install a reliable security solution that will automatically send such emails to spam, such as Kaspersky Secure Mail Gateway, and also regularly conduct cybersecurity training for employees, teaching them how to recognise social engineering techniques, for example, using the Kaspersky Automated Security Awareness Platform.

Finding a reliable power solution can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.

As Nigeria grapples with its myriad of challenges, one issue that refuses to bow is uninterrupted power supply.

For many Nigerians, it’s a tale as old as time – the flickering lights, the endless queues for fuel, and the ever-present roar of petrol generators.

Dr. Patrick, a senior lecturer who relocated to Nigeria over two years ago, knows this struggle all too well.

Speaking to a group of students one afternoon about the challenges in Nigeria, he recounted his journey through different power-generating devices. “Nigeria is a land of promise but comes with its challenges,” he observed.

“One of the most frustrating issues is the lack of reliable electricity.

“Generators are a lifesaver, but with the steadily rising cost of fuel, many can’t afford to run them anymore.”

Dr. Patrick had his first brush with Nigeria’s electricity problem when he purchased a fuel-powered generator. The noise was unbearable, and getting fuel to refill it was a challenge on its own.

He soon abandoned it for inverters, but his luck there was short-lived. “I tried two different brands – I won’t name them,” he said, “but the first lasted only a few months, and the second didn’t even make it past four months before it conked out.

It led to a litigation, and at that point, I was disillusioned with the available options.”

Just when hope seemed lost, a student introduced Dr. Patrick to iPower.

Initially skeptical, he was intrigued by the student’s claim that his father ordered his on Konga had been using the same iPower inverter for several years without any issues. With cautious optimism, Dr. Patrick decided to give iPower a shot. Seventeen months later, he still sings its praises.

On researching iPower, Dr. Patrick discovered the product’s rigorous development process, with experts from five countries and the Nigerian technology giant Zinox combining forces to bring it to life.

It was evident that this was not your average product, but rather one built with precision, expertise, and the end-user in mind.

The specifications of iPower are impressive: it boasts a rated power of 5KVA/5000W, a pure sine wave inverter, surge power of 10000VA, and an input voltage of 230VAC ±5%. iPower’s 5kva outperforms the 10kva of the inferior brand Dr. Patrick had used.

Its smart battery charger optimizes battery performance and allows for selectable charging current, depending on the application.

These features ensure that iPower not only performs exceptionally but also lasts far longer than its competitors.

Dr. Patrick firmly believes that more brands in Nigeria should follow iPower’s example.

“We deserve better than the substandard products being dumped on us. Nigerians want quality, and iPower has proven that it’s possible to deliver.”

iPower inverters have proven to be a game-changer for Dr. Patrick and countless other Nigerians. With their exceptional performance, reliability, and advanced features, they offer a much-needed solution to the country’s power challenges.

As more people discover the benefits of iPower, it is poised to become a leading choice for home and business power solutions in Nigeria. If you are wondering where to purchase iPower inverters, batteries, or solar panels, you can find it on konga.com.

The number of unique users targeted by cybercriminals using popular children’s games as a lure surged by 30% in the first six months of 2024 compared to H2 2023, according to Kaspersky experts.

Researchers analysed gaming risks for young players and discovered that more than 132,000 users had been targeted by cybercriminals. More details can be found in the latest Kaspersky report on cybercrimes targeting young gamers.

The most exploited children’s games

Kaspersky looked into the threats disguised as popular kids’ video games and analysed the period from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.

Throughout the reported period, Kaspersky security solutions detected more than 6.6 million attempted attacks, where cybercriminals used the brands of the kids’ games as a lure.

Out of the 18 games chosen for this research, the majority of attacks were related to Minecraft, Roblox, and Among Us. According to Kaspersky’s statistics, more than 3 million attempted attacks under the guise of Minecraft were launched throughout the reported period.

Most likely, cybercriminals chose this method of attack based on the popularity of games among players, as well as the ability of gamers to use cheats and mods. Since the majority of mods and cheats are distributed on third-party websites, attackers disguise malware by posing as these applications.

Kaspersky experts believe that the higher success rates detected in 2024 can be explained by the trends observed in the recent developments of the general cyberthreat landscape.

On the one hand, following popular trends, cybercriminals launch more cunning attacks, exploiting the current agenda and crafting less obvious schemes, instead of using generic attacks.

On the other hand, cybercriminals are increasingly using AI to automate and personalise phishing attacks that are more likely to deceive young gamers. At the same time, new advanced phishing kits — pre-made templates of phishing pages — created with automated tools consistently appear on the dark web, allowing an increasing number of attackers to deploy highly effective phishing sites that mimic popular gaming platforms.

Scams on children’s favourite games

One of the most common scams in gaming is the offer to receive new skins for your character — essentially clothing or armor — that enhance the hero’s skills. Some skins are common, while others are extremely rare and, therefore, more desirable.

Kaspersky experts have found an example of a scam that uses both the name of popular game Valorant and that of the world-famous YouTuber Mr. Beast. By selecting this blogger and using his photo, the fraudsters aim to capture children’s attention and hook them into their fraudulent scam.

To receive the desired Mr. Beast skin, young users are asked to enter their login and password for their gaming account, enabling their credentials to be potentially stolen by scammers as a result.

Another popular trap is the offer of receiving in-game currency. In one of the discovered scams exploiting the Pokémon GO brand, users are asked to enter the username for their gaming account. Next, they’re asked to take a survey to prove they’re not a bot.

Once the survey is complete, they are redirected to a fake website, usually one promising free prizes or giveaways. This is where the real scam kicks in.

The scammers aren’t actually after personal data like credit card details; they’re using the guise of gaming to lure users into another hoax — one involving fake downloads, prize claims, or other deceptive offers.

The whole process is a clever way to redirect users to a different, more dangerous scam under the pretense of a legitimate verification step.

“Throughout our research, we see attacks on children are becoming a common vector of cybercriminals’ activities. That’s why cyber hygiene education and the use of trusted cybersecurity solutions are a ’must-have’ in building children’s safety in the online environment.

By fostering their critical thinking, responsible online behaviour, and a strong understanding of the risks, we can create a safer and more positive online experience for this generation of digital natives,” comments Vasily Kolesnikov, security expert at Kaspersky.